Trouble logging in?If you can't remember your password or are having trouble logging in, you will have to reset your password. If you have trouble resetting your password (for example, if you lost access to the original email address), please do not start posting with a new account, as this is against the forum rules. If you create a temporary account, please contact us right away via Forum Support, and send us any information you can about your original account, such as the account name and any email address that may have been associated with it.

"Russia enemy of US" is old Soviet Cold War nonsense and no longer applicable.

I totally agree. Russia just can't allow itself to be US' enemy.

But US is still enemy of Russia. Even under Obama.

__________________

Oversized signature, meet underfed bunnies.Natsuru:
- This cake is great. But I don't think I could eat the rest of it by myself.Black Seppuku Bunny:
- Want us to help you?Harakiri Tiger:
- We'd be happy to take a piece.Natsuru:
- Can you even digest it with your guts hanging out like that?

Is this a personal sentiment, or did he make a candid quote somewhere outside of a political rally?

JMvS, IMHO, is right in claiming the relationship is primarily that of rivals. Russia, esp. these days, does appear to be trying to go back to its glory days - if not those of the USSR, then to the times of the czars. Not entirely sure how well that's going, though. Alcohol - among other things - is taking a rather severe toll on its people, and the divide between the haves and the havenots looks to be wider there than in the U.S. - at least for now. Russia's naval ability is also poor these days when compared to the old USSR's.

__________________

"If ignorance is bliss, then why aren't more people happy?" -- Misc.

Currently listening: Nadda
Currently reading: Procrastination for the win!
Currently playing: "Quest of D", "Border Break" and "Gundam Senjou no Kizuna".
Waiting for: "Shining Force Cross"!

Is this a personal sentiment, or did he make a candid quote somewhere outside of a political rally?

JMvS, IMHO, is right in claiming the relationship is primarily that of rivals. Russia, esp. these days, does appear to be trying to go back to its glory days - if not those of the USSR, then to the times of the czars. Not entirely sure how well that's going, though. Alcohol - among other things - is taking a rather severe toll on its people, and the divide between the haves and the havenots looks to be wider there than in the U.S. - at least for now. Russia's naval ability is also poor these days when compared to the old USSR's.

Actually their navy is still more powerful compared to China's or NK's, it is just that the ships are sitting in the shipyards without anyone to man them.

__________________

When three puppygirls named after pastries are on top of each other, it is called Eclair a'la menthe et Biscotti aux fraises avec beaucoup de Ricotta sur le dessus.
Most of all, you have to be disciplined and you have to save, even if you hate our current financial system. Because if you don't save, then you're guaranteed to end up with nothing.

"One of the things we agreed on was to conduct high-level exchanges over the next year," Kitazawa said. "It demonstrates great progress in our bilateral relations that we have agreed to conduct our first joint maneuvers."

Quote:

Tokyo has also expressed deep concerns over China's growing military strength and swelling defense budget. China's navy, in particular, is improving rapidly and encounters between ships from the countries are growing more frequent.

Kitazawa said Tokyo sees relations with Beijing as crucial and said Japan will try to develop greater trust with its giant neighbor, on both the security and economic fronts.

Liang said the two ministers also discussed regional security issues and said they "have a great deal in common."

"We intend to continue strengthening our ties," he said. "Our relations are very important, as is our mutual growth and prosperity."

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima will hold talks Monday in Tokyo over the relocation of a U.S. military airfield in Okinawa Prefecture, which has become a major sticking point in U.S.-Japan ties, prefectural officials said Friday.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has ended a visit to Venezuela in which he and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez denounced what they call U.S. "imperialism."

Quote:

Mr. Chavez also denounced U.S. ally Israel as a "murderous arm of the Yankee empire," in his words. He rebuked Israel's president for predicting Venezuelans and Iranians will make their leaders disappear. Mr. Chavez said he views Shimon Peres' recent comment as a threat.

The Venezuelan president also said Cuba's ailing former President Fidel Castro had asked him to deliver a "hug" to Mr. Ahmadinejad. Mr. Chavez said he met briefly with Mr. Castro in Cuba on Tuesday.

Some members of the RNC are proposing a litmus test for Republican Party candidates standing in the 2010 Congressional elections. Candidates who fail to agree with 8 of the 10 principles would not receive funding from the RNC.

Quote:

(1) We support smaller government, smaller national debt, lower deficits and lower taxes by opposing bills like Obama’s “stimulus” bill;
(2) We support market-based health care reform and oppose Obama-style government run healthcare;
(3) We support market-based energy reforms by opposing cap and trade legislation;
(4) We support workers’ right to secret ballot by opposing card check;
(5) We support legal immigration and assimilation into American society by opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants;
(6) We support victory in Iraq and Afghanistan by supporting military-recommended troop surges;
(7) We support containment of Iran and North Korea, particularly effective action to eliminate their nuclear weapons threat;
(8) We support retention of the Defense of Marriage Act;
(9) We support protecting the lives of vulnerable persons by opposing health care rationing and denial of health care and government funding of abortion; and
(10) We support the right to keep and bear arms by opposing government restrictions on gun ownership;

If Japan takes over the South Kurils, Russia will lose the ability to control the entry of foreign surface ships and submarines into the Sea of Okhotsk, the combat service area of its Pacific Fleet's strategic submarines. This would give a potential enemy an opportunity to mount equipment to monitor Russian submarines and sink them in case of a military conflict.

__________________

Oversized signature, meet underfed bunnies.Natsuru:
- This cake is great. But I don't think I could eat the rest of it by myself.Black Seppuku Bunny:
- Want us to help you?Harakiri Tiger:
- We'd be happy to take a piece.Natsuru:
- Can you even digest it with your guts hanging out like that?

Regarding the part about guns, I think banning firearms totally is a bad idea.

With so many drug cartels and illegal firearms circulating due to the availability and (declining) international usage of the USD, you can't rely on your local police armed with 9mm's and .45 ACP's to beat a nut with illegal military grade body armor and home-mod assault rifles.

Buy a .50 cal pistol, which is not police-issued, and you might stand a chance. Otherwise, you might want to kevlar plate your walls and install bullet-proof glass.

P.S It has been proven that regular kevlar helmets with ceramic plates installed can barely stop a swiss-army knife being thrown at 20m by an angry madman. Do you feel safe now with a gun, or with body armor?

__________________

When three puppygirls named after pastries are on top of each other, it is called Eclair a'la menthe et Biscotti aux fraises avec beaucoup de Ricotta sur le dessus.
Most of all, you have to be disciplined and you have to save, even if you hate our current financial system. Because if you don't save, then you're guaranteed to end up with nothing.

Regarding the part about guns, I think banning firearms totally is a bad idea.

With so many drug cartels and illegal firearms circulating due to the availability and (declining) international usage of the USD, you can't rely on your local police armed with 9mm's and .45 ACP's to beat a nut with illegal military grade body armor and home-mod assault rifles.

Buy a .50 cal pistol, which is not police-issued, and you might stand a chance. Otherwise, you might want to kevlar plate your walls and install bullet-proof glass.

P.S It has been proven that regular kevlar helmets with ceramic plates installed can barely stop a swiss-army knife being thrown at 20m by an angry madman. Do you feel safe now with a gun, or with body armor?

Not to start a huge gun control debate, but I have a hard time believing that said nut would be able to own the rifles to mod in the first place. Where would they get them? I mean, many illegal guns within our continental neighbors have their origins in the US. I imagine it'd be hard for just any nut to find a firearm, you know?

Regarding the part about guns, I think banning firearms totally is a bad idea.

With so many drug cartels and illegal firearms circulating due to the availability and (declining) international usage of the USD, you can't rely on your local police armed with 9mm's and .45 ACP's to beat a nut with illegal military grade body armor and home-mod assault rifles.

Buy a .50 cal pistol, which is not police-issued, and you might stand a chance. Otherwise, you might want to kevlar plate your walls and install bullet-proof glass.

P.S It has been proven that regular kevlar helmets with ceramic plates installed can barely stop a swiss-army knife being thrown at 20m by an angry madman. Do you feel safe now with a gun, or with body armor?

... What are you saying? That policemen should buy their own big guns? (Instead of having rifles, which are more powerful anyway...) That everyone should go out in armor and heavily armed, and fortify their homes?

Regarding the part about guns, I think banning firearms totally is a bad idea.

With so many drug cartels and illegal firearms circulating due to the availability and (declining) international usage of the USD, you can't rely on your local police armed with 9mm's and .45 ACP's to beat a nut with illegal military grade body armor and home-mod assault rifles.

Buy a .50 cal pistol, which is not police-issued, and you might stand a chance. Otherwise, you might want to kevlar plate your walls and install bullet-proof glass.

P.S It has been proven that regular kevlar helmets with ceramic plates installed can barely stop a swiss-army knife being thrown at 20m by an angry madman. Do you feel safe now with a gun, or with body armor?

... What are you saying? That policemen should buy their own big guns? (Instead of having rifles, which are more powerful anyway...) That everyone should go out in armor and heavily armed, and fortify their homes?

That would be an extreme view. To clear this up, what I simply meant was, if there is no policeman around, what are you going to protect yourself with against a nut with a gun?

__________________

When three puppygirls named after pastries are on top of each other, it is called Eclair a'la menthe et Biscotti aux fraises avec beaucoup de Ricotta sur le dessus.
Most of all, you have to be disciplined and you have to save, even if you hate our current financial system. Because if you don't save, then you're guaranteed to end up with nothing.

The thing about firearms is that them being widely available does not equate necessarily with higher gunshot casualties.

Like in my country, where we probably have more firearms in circulation per inhabitants than everywhere, and where every male citizen is given his very own military assault rifle (some starting as early as 16), we even used to receive a can of rounds with it, but even if this latter measure was canceled recently, we still do our yearly mandatory shooting practice, where procuring ammunition is easy (and anyway those are obtainable in every weapon shop).

Yet "despite" such large availability for the common citizen, our country is one of the safest in the world, most firearms casualties being suicides (which are the major fuel for those who advocate restriction).

The thing about firearms is that them being widely available does not equate necessarily with higher gunshot casualties.

Like in my country, where we probably have more firearms in circulation per inhabitants than everywhere, and where every male citizen is given his very own military assault rifle (some starting as early as 16), we even used to receive a can of rounds with it, but even if this latter measure was canceled recently, we still do our yearly mandatory shooting practice, where procuring ammunition is easy (and anyway those are obtainable in every weapon shop).

Yet "despite" such large availability for the common citizen, our country is one of the safest in the world, most firearms casualties being suicides (which are the major fuel for those who advocate restriction).

I guess that will equate to personal responsibility. It is quite funny that, at Switzerland, gun ownership is indeed higher than US but there are less gun crimes.

__________________

When three puppygirls named after pastries are on top of each other, it is called Eclair a'la menthe et Biscotti aux fraises avec beaucoup de Ricotta sur le dessus.
Most of all, you have to be disciplined and you have to save, even if you hate our current financial system. Because if you don't save, then you're guaranteed to end up with nothing.

Even though Switzerland has less gun deaths than the US, they are still near the top of the list. Compared to countries at the bottom which generally have very strict gun control for non-military use. (Japan, South Korea, England)

Edit: I realize that you said crime whereas I linked stats for deaths. I suppose that list is somewhat dependent on whether or not you consider suicide a crime.

This might seem odd, seeing as I'm not actually part of that country, but eh.

Despite the large number of firearms in Switzerland, aren't the gun control measures far stricter than it generally is in the States? Far as I know, a permit, a clean bill of mental health, and a blank criminal record are all necessary to purchase a firearm. However, getting a permit in the first place requires demonstrating that you're knowledgeable about gun use and gun laws before you can actually apply for the permit. Even then, the permit limits the number of guns an individual can buy. Military rifles are similarly kept under lock and key in the home, etcetera and so forth.

To my knowledge, the US doesn't come close to this amount of regulation, high gun ownership numbers or not.

ETA: Upon further digging, the rate of firearms ownership in Switzerland is 46 to every 100 citizens, as compared to a rate of 90 for every 100 citizens in the United States. Add in the fact that many people own multiple guns, and the percentage of gun owners to the total population in Switzerland might not be all that high.

On gun issues, I believe there is a need for people living in rural areas to have their own firearms. Help may not come in time, given the distance involved. Now, in urban areas, there really is no business for civilians to hold firearms. Not every criminal will get the chance to hold military-grade equipment.